PGA Tour to Add Blood Testing to Antidoping Measures

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The PGA Tour will use blood testing to detect H.G.H., but will still use urine samples for drug testing.CreditAndrew Redington/Getty Images

By The Associated Press

June 21, 2017

The PGA Tour will beef up its antidoping policy by adding blood testing and bringing its list of banned substances in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency. The revised policy takes effect at the start of next season, in October.

Blood testing will allow the tour to detect any use of human growth hormone, which is on the list of banned substances but cannot be detected through urine. The tour still plans to use urine samples for most of its drug testing next season.

“Urine is the far more efficient testing method of 98 percent-plus of what we’re looking for,” said Andy Levinson, the tour’s senior vice president for tournament administration, who oversees the antidoping policy. “Really, one of the few things only detectable in blood is H.G.H.”

Under the revised policy, the tour is adding to its banned list three categories of substances that the antidoping agency prohibits: asthma medications, allergy and anti-inflammatory medications, and pseudoephedrine over a certain threshold.

MICKELSON AND CADDIE SPLIT Phil Mickelson and his caddie have decided to part ways after 25 years of one of the most famous player-caddie relationships on the PGA Tour. Mickelson and the caddie Jim Mackay, known as Bones, say the decision to split was mutual and not based on an episode.

Mackay, who is not retiring, is the only full-time caddie Mickelson has had in a career that has brought him 45 victories worldwide, five majors and a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Mickelson says his brother, Tim Mickelson, will caddie for him for the rest of the year.

DOPING

Lab’s Accreditation Is Partly Suspended

The World Anti-Doping Agency partly suspended its accreditation of the U.C.L.A. Olympic laboratory for three months. WADA said in a statement that the lab’s procedures were not in keeping with “best practice.”

WADA said the U.C.L.A. Olympic Analytical Laboratory could continue its normal antidoping testing during the suspension, but must get a second opinion from another WADA-accredited lab before reporting certain findings.

TENNIS

Murray Among Upset Victims at Queen’s

Top-ranked Andy Murray headed a list of high-profile departures in the first round at Queen’s, losing to a player who found out he was competing only on the morning of the match. Murray put in a sloppy and error-prone display in losing to 90th-ranked Jordan Thompson 7-6 (4), 6-2, joining Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic in being eliminated on a day of shocks at the tournament.

The second-seeded Wawrinka, who seemed to struggle with a left knee injury in the second set, was beaten by Feliciano López, 7-6 (5), 7-5. The third-seeded Raonic lost, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8), to No. 698-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis.

FEDERER OPENS WITH A VICTORY Roger Federer bounced back from his first-round defeat in Stuttgart, Germany, last week with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Yuichi Sugita of Japan in the opening round of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany.

MUGURUZA STRUGGLES TO VICTORY Garbiñe Muguruza barely survived her first grass match of the season, at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England. The fifth-seeded Muguruza frequently had to abandon her elegant game and scramble to stay in the rallies during a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win against Elzaveta Kulichkova, a Russian qualifier. The two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova won her opening match, beating Tereza Smitkova, 6-2, 6-3.

PRO FOOTBALL

Sapp to Donate His Brain for Research

The Hall of Famer Warren Sapp announced on social media that he will donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation for medical research after his death.

Sapp, 44, said in a statement that he has started to feel the effects of the hits he took during his 13-year N.F.L. career as a defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders. He said he has specifically become concerned about his memory.

HORSE RACING

American Filly Repeats at Royal Ascot

The American filly Lady Aurelia won at Royal Ascot in England for the second straight year, cruising to a three-length victory in the King’s Stand Stakes under the replacement jockey John Velazquez.

Lady Aurelia took the lead with two furlongs to run and pulled clear, winning the five-furlong race in 57.45 seconds, just short of a course record.

SOCCER

Ronaldo Summoned in Tax Case

Cristiano Ronaldo has been summoned to appear before a Spanish judge, and José Mourinho could be next. Ronaldo and Mourinho are the latest members of the soccer elite to be accused of tax fraud in Spain. Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano have already been convicted.

Ronaldo was told to appear in court on July 31, while Mourinho was accused by a state prosecutor of defrauding Spain’s Tax Office of 3.3 million euros ($3.7 million).

BASEBALL

Sale and the Red Sox Pound the Royals

Chris Sale shut down the host Kansas City Royals while pitching into the ninth inning, and a ragtag bunch of Boston Red Sox filling in for injured starters pounded their way to an 8-3 victory.

Sale gave up a homer to Mike Moustakas in the second and a two-run shot to Jorge Bonifacio in the ninth before departing two outs shy of his second consecutive complete game. He allowed four hits and struck out 10.

Xander Bogaerts and Sandy Leon each drove in a pair of runs for Boston, which got plenty of production from a lineup missing Pablo Sandoval, Dustin Pedroia and Mitch Moreland to injuries.

AROUND THE MAJORS Manny Machado went 4 for 4, homered twice and drove in four runs to help the Orioles beat Cleveland, 6-5, in Baltimore to end the Indians’ six-game winning streak. • Bryce Harper started the scoring with a two-run single that extended his hitting streak to 13 games, and Gio Gonzalez pitched seven innings to help the Washington Nationals beat the Marlins, 12-3, in Miami. • Anthony Rizzo hit another leadoff home run to help Mike Montgomery get his first win of the season in the Cubs’ 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres in Chicago.

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES Brian Howard matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in seven-plus innings, Ryan Merrill homered to start a three-run third and Texas Christian defeated Texas A&M, 4-1, in an elimination game in Omaha. • Brady Singer pitched seven strong innings and Austin Langworthy and Deacon Liput homered to lead Florida to a 5-1 victory over Louisville.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B10 of the New York edition with the headline: Golf; PGA to Add Blood Testing to Antidoping Policy. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe